# Roy Moore, 'defender of the Constitution' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 14, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267 "2003-08-14T23:18:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267/81 "2003-08-21T11:02:34Z")
As much as the whole issue irritates me and reminds me why I want to move out of this damn state, I have been enjoying watching state officials like Bill Pryor and Gov. Riley trying to split hairs speaking out in favor of following Judge Thompson’s order to remove the monument while saying Alabama citizens have the right to protest or that they feel there should be a place for God in government. Way to avoid endorsing contempt of court while at the same time trying not to alienate all those fundamentalist voters. Riley’s going to need every vote he can get for his tax plan so he really has to watch his mouth. I keep hoping the other eight state Supreme Court Justices will use their ability to overrule administrative decisions of the Chief Justice to have the monument removed, as has been mentioned in the local press. All but one are Republicans, so they could avoid any claims of political partisanship by acting. Between the controversy and the fines and the massive weight of Moore’s ego, these are all burdens the state could do without. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267/82 "2003-08-21T14:39:23Z")
What puzzles me is this: Assuming this Commandment-spammer judge is right :eek: and there IS a big bearded angry Guy In The Sky keeping tabs on us, why hasn’t Moore been struck by lightning yet? ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267/83 "2003-08-21T15:36:08Z")
The rest of the Alabama Supreme Court has [overruled](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25417-2003Aug21.html) Moore and ordered the removal of the monument. Fortunately, only one justice shows contempt for the rule of law. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267/84 "2003-08-21T20:01:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorsnak \* > \*\*Ah, but you _don’t_ have to swear to tell the truth, etc etc, so help you God. There are alternative methods of swearing in witnesses that don’t mention God. \*\* You don’t have to swear. You can “affirm” that you will tell the truth and that is just as legally valid as swearing in. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267/85 "2003-08-21T20:13:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\*First of all, it is not up to a bunch of zealots…be they atheist or Jesus freaks…to decide what the “law of the land” is. Secondly, the “law of the land”(:rolleyes: ) has to do with an established government religion. This kid was not ordered to sing this song, nor was it presented by any government entity. It was sung by a citizen whom just happened to be in a public building at the time she intended to sing it. By your standard someone who utterd **“God Damn it!”** in a school building would be guilty of violating someone elses 1st amendment rights. Absurd. \*\* The critical difference here is that the school does not sponsor that expression and there’s an equal opportunity for everyone to express themselves in the cafeteria or the hallways during breaks. An honor student singing in front of the entire school during a graduation ceremony, and that song just happens to “acknowledge” God? That’s a horse of a different color. Only a limited number of students get to speak at a graduation ceremony, so if the school chooses someone who spouts off about Jesus and rejects someone who wants to sing the praises of Vishnu or of Atheism, we’re going to have problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-moore-defender-of-the-constitution/195267.md?page=4)